One more points Hasan as killer of FF's father

After two sons, a neighbour yesterday testified on the murder of a man by Syed Hasan Ali while the victim was fleeing home in Kishoreganj during the Liberation War.

Tofazzal Hossain Bhuiyan alias Lalu Bhuiyan was shot dead on August 24, 1971, Mohammad Hadis, the 21st prosecution witness, told the International Crimes Tribunal-1.

He said the Pakistani army and Razakars attacked their Konabhawal village in Tarail upazila on the night of August 23 and he heard gunshots from their neighbouring "Bhuiyan Bari". The next morning, Hadis heard about the killing from his son Emdad Hossain Bhuiyan.

Emdad testified on the murder earlier, saying his brother Shahjahan Bhuiyan served in the police force before joining the War of Independence and their father Lalu Bhuiyan imparted training to local freedom fighters as an Ansar commander.

Arriving around 2:00am on August 24, Hasan started dragging his father out of bed after he denied knowing his son Shahjahan's whereabouts, Emdad said, adding that when Emdad begged for his father's life, Hasan slapped him hard.

Lalu started running, when brought out of the room, before he got shot and dived into a pond, he said. The body was recovered after the attackers had left.

Freedom fighter Shajahan Bhuiyan also testified on the killing.

Hadis said he also heard that the Razakars took Lalu's uncle Zahid Bhuiyan and his wife to Kishoreganj but let the woman go the next day on the condition that she would bring her son, Kamruzzaman, a freedom fighter, back from war. Zahid was released after Kamaruzzaman returned home from the border and met the Razakars. Kamruzzaman was also freed later.

Hadis was cross-examined before the 22nd prosecution witness, Suraiya Begum, also testified yesterday but on another charge and was then cross-examined.

The proceeding was adjourned till March 22.

Now absconding, Hasan, the alleged Tarail upazila unit Razakar commander, faces six charges including genocide committed in Kishoreganj in 1971.